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BiographyMy Story
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I was born and raised in London England and had the good fortune to be surrounded by a musical family with my father playing Hawaiian guitar and my mother and brother Dave both playing piano. I began taking classical piano lessons at the age of 7 and continued until I was 15 at which point I bought my first electric guitar. I became obsessed with the instrument and decided very quickly that my life's calling was to be a professional musician. While still at school I was a member of Heavy Water and Blind Eye and just before heading off to university I joined Fast Buck with Charlie Harper (who later formed UK Subs) and Scott Gorham (shortly before he joined Thin Lizzy).
After university I took up classical guitar, studying at the John Williams School in London. I also auditioned for the Deep Purple spin-off band Paice Ashton and Lord (Ian Paice, Tony Ashton and John Lord) and unfortunately came runner-up to Bernie Marsden. I joined my first professional band Liar in 1977. We released 2 albums, Straight From The Hip for Decca and Set The World On Fire for Bearsville. We toured Hungary, Yugoslavia and supported Slade and UFO on their UK tours. We recorded and mixed a third album at Stevie Wonder's Crystal Sound Studio in Hollywood but unfortunately Bearsville pulled the plug on the band before it was released and it never saw the light of day.
After a brief stint with Steve Swindells in 1980, appearing on BBC 2's Old Grey Whistle Test TV show, I formed Lionheart with Dennis Stratton (who had just left Iron Maiden) on guitar and Rocky Newton on bass. Hailed by Sounds magazine as "the first NWOBHM Supergroup" Lionheart toured extensively before securing a record deal with CBS in 1984. At various times Lionheart counted amongst its ranks luminaries such as Frank Noon (Def Leppard), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Les Binks (Judas Priest), Clive Edwards (UFO) and Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep). The band flew to Los Angeles in 1984 to record the Hot Tonight album at the legendary Sound City Studios in Van Nuys and released Die For Love as the single. An accompanying video was shot featuring the late but great Rik Mayall (Young Ones) and some wonderfully wooden acting from the band.
Lionheart broke up in 1985 at which point I set up a 16 track studio in the UK and thus began my production and engineering career in earnest. In 1986 Rocky Newton and I joined Michael Schenker to form The McAuley Schenker Group and we recorded 2 albums, Perfect Timing and Save Yourself. The former was recorded in 1986 at PUK Studios in Denmark with overdubs at Rudolf Schenker's Scorpion Sound Studio, and the record was produced by the late Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones). Frank Fillipetti (Foreigner, Survivor) took the production chair for Save Yourself, recording in Los Angeles. This album bore the hit single Anytime, a ballad penned by myself and Robin McAuley, and which reached number 6 in the Billboard charts.
In 1988 I moved to Hannover, Germany and, with 2 friends, set up my first 24-track analogue recording facility, Frida Park Studio. I ran this this until 1995 at which point my friend Anca Graterol became joint owner. Between 1988 and 1995 I produced and engineered literally dozens of albums in the studio including records from Vicious Rumors and the British ex-glam rock band The Sweet.
While playing with Michael Schenker I was guesting with The Sweet, becoming a permanent member after I leaving MSG in 1991. Touring took The Sweet to Australia, USA, all over Europe and many other places. In 1992 The band recorded and mixed the A album in Frida Park for SPV Records. Then around 1994 I guested with Eloy, a progressive rock band from Hannover who achieved fame during the 1970's. My guest appearances for the band both live and on record continued till 2012.
In 1998 I moved back to England where I took up work as an audio engineer at Channel 4 Television in London. This ran until 2004 at which point I moved back to Hannover and continued with my production and engineering exploits along with some coding work.
In 2016 I received a call from Michael Schenker asking if I was interested in forming a new version of the band called Michael Schenker Fest which was to include his 3 original singers, Gary Barden (Statetrooper), Graham Bonnet (Rainbow) and Robin McAuley (Survivor) along with the Alex Harvey Band rhythm section of Ted McKenna and Chris Glen (ex-Rainbow singer Doogie White would also join in 2017). Needless to say I jumped at the chance and the band has been on the road ever since, playing in Japan, USA, Europe and Russia. In 2017 a new album, Resurrection, was recorded for Nuclear Blast and a second album is currently underway.
In September of 2016, Lionheart also had the opportunity to reunite with original members Dennis Stratton, Rocky Newton, Clive Edwards and myself along with Lee Small on vocals. In 2017 the band went into my studio to record a new album called Second Nature, which was critically acclaimed, entered the Japanese charts and consolidated Lionheart's return to the scene. The band toured Japan, Spain and Europe and as of 2018 is back in my studio to record a follow-up album to Second Nature.
After university I took up classical guitar, studying at the John Williams School in London. I also auditioned for the Deep Purple spin-off band Paice Ashton and Lord (Ian Paice, Tony Ashton and John Lord) and unfortunately came runner-up to Bernie Marsden. I joined my first professional band Liar in 1977. We released 2 albums, Straight From The Hip for Decca and Set The World On Fire for Bearsville. We toured Hungary, Yugoslavia and supported Slade and UFO on their UK tours. We recorded and mixed a third album at Stevie Wonder's Crystal Sound Studio in Hollywood but unfortunately Bearsville pulled the plug on the band before it was released and it never saw the light of day.
After a brief stint with Steve Swindells in 1980, appearing on BBC 2's Old Grey Whistle Test TV show, I formed Lionheart with Dennis Stratton (who had just left Iron Maiden) on guitar and Rocky Newton on bass. Hailed by Sounds magazine as "the first NWOBHM Supergroup" Lionheart toured extensively before securing a record deal with CBS in 1984. At various times Lionheart counted amongst its ranks luminaries such as Frank Noon (Def Leppard), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Les Binks (Judas Priest), Clive Edwards (UFO) and Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep). The band flew to Los Angeles in 1984 to record the Hot Tonight album at the legendary Sound City Studios in Van Nuys and released Die For Love as the single. An accompanying video was shot featuring the late but great Rik Mayall (Young Ones) and some wonderfully wooden acting from the band.
Lionheart broke up in 1985 at which point I set up a 16 track studio in the UK and thus began my production and engineering career in earnest. In 1986 Rocky Newton and I joined Michael Schenker to form The McAuley Schenker Group and we recorded 2 albums, Perfect Timing and Save Yourself. The former was recorded in 1986 at PUK Studios in Denmark with overdubs at Rudolf Schenker's Scorpion Sound Studio, and the record was produced by the late Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones). Frank Fillipetti (Foreigner, Survivor) took the production chair for Save Yourself, recording in Los Angeles. This album bore the hit single Anytime, a ballad penned by myself and Robin McAuley, and which reached number 6 in the Billboard charts.
In 1988 I moved to Hannover, Germany and, with 2 friends, set up my first 24-track analogue recording facility, Frida Park Studio. I ran this this until 1995 at which point my friend Anca Graterol became joint owner. Between 1988 and 1995 I produced and engineered literally dozens of albums in the studio including records from Vicious Rumors and the British ex-glam rock band The Sweet.
While playing with Michael Schenker I was guesting with The Sweet, becoming a permanent member after I leaving MSG in 1991. Touring took The Sweet to Australia, USA, all over Europe and many other places. In 1992 The band recorded and mixed the A album in Frida Park for SPV Records. Then around 1994 I guested with Eloy, a progressive rock band from Hannover who achieved fame during the 1970's. My guest appearances for the band both live and on record continued till 2012.
In 1998 I moved back to England where I took up work as an audio engineer at Channel 4 Television in London. This ran until 2004 at which point I moved back to Hannover and continued with my production and engineering exploits along with some coding work.
In 2016 I received a call from Michael Schenker asking if I was interested in forming a new version of the band called Michael Schenker Fest which was to include his 3 original singers, Gary Barden (Statetrooper), Graham Bonnet (Rainbow) and Robin McAuley (Survivor) along with the Alex Harvey Band rhythm section of Ted McKenna and Chris Glen (ex-Rainbow singer Doogie White would also join in 2017). Needless to say I jumped at the chance and the band has been on the road ever since, playing in Japan, USA, Europe and Russia. In 2017 a new album, Resurrection, was recorded for Nuclear Blast and a second album is currently underway.
In September of 2016, Lionheart also had the opportunity to reunite with original members Dennis Stratton, Rocky Newton, Clive Edwards and myself along with Lee Small on vocals. In 2017 the band went into my studio to record a new album called Second Nature, which was critically acclaimed, entered the Japanese charts and consolidated Lionheart's return to the scene. The band toured Japan, Spain and Europe and as of 2018 is back in my studio to record a follow-up album to Second Nature.
